The Intrigue of Thrifting

I’ve always been fascinated with thrift shops. During my freshman year of college, I went to my first one. It was a large, spacious, and clean one in Maryland. I don’t remember the name, but everything was organized by color. It was super fun. I bought a pair of leopard flats that I’ve never worn and a Harvard Crimson Crazies t-shirt that I wore a whole bunch but gave away/lost over the years. I don’t remember what else. Good times.

I recently shopped my closet at my parents’ home and brought the flats back to our apartment.

Recently, I reconnected with my friend Helene from high school. It’s been nearly ten years since we’ve last talked but when I met up with her at the Chocolate Room in Park Slope (my go-to for girl dates) it was as if no time had passed at all. Helene, her sister Rakibat, and I talked about everything for nearly two hours over yummy chocolate.

Helene writes an awesome blog called Bon Vivant + A Budget. Recently she attended the Housing Works Buy the Bag event and her finds were fabulous! She even compiled a list for first time shoppers.

This got me thinking… am I fashionable enough to try thrifting? In the past, I’ve been turned off by over-priced crap and smelly stores but after doing some research and getting a buddy to join me, I’m going to the Housing Works Buy the Bag event this Saturday, October 22. It’s their last Buy the Bag event of the year.

I’m excited. Based on Helene’s advice, this is what I plan to do –

• Wear a thrift-friendly outfit (no flip flops or shoes that can easily come off)
• Bring my own bag to hold clothes while I shop
• Arrive early – Power Hour tickets are sold out 😦
• Use the bathroom beforehand – there are none in the warehouse
• Go for the fun of it! 😀

Then, after reading about Patrice Williams at Looking Fly on a Dime’s great experience at the Salvation Army’s Coat Sale, I wanted to do that too! Their next sale is on November 5th so Helene and I are going to hit it up.

I’m so impressed by Patrice – she started the Thrifty Thread 365 Challenge, in which she only allows herself to buy thrifted items. This year, she’s even capping her budget at $50 per month. What a bold and green initiative. I can’t get over how inspiring some bloggers are.

Wish me luck!

About elbrooklyntaco

I'm a lover of urban living, thriftiness, and blogs! The concept behind this blog is to document the growth of our family and our adventures living in the concrete jungle of Brooklyn.

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